Photographer's Note

A girl from the Kayan Hill Tribe weaving.
This photo was taken in a little Kayan village, near Chiang Rai. The Kayan people are a subgroup of the Karen tribe and they are known for the neck rings the women wear around their neck. There are several theories concerning this tradition: one is related to the ideal of beauty - they start wearing the rings since childhood and the number of turns increase as they get older, in order to lengthen their neck.
Long neck tribes exist in Burma and in Northern Thailand and one of the reasons why this tradition is still kept is because these women have become a tourist attraction, thus bringing income to the villages.

Here we can see a girl weaving. Weaving is an old tradition in these villages and the handicrafts they make are also very important for the income and survivance of these tribes.

Not only is this a most interesting subject, I love how you have composed the shot. The girl's outstretched legs make a lower border, whilst the frame takes artistically across the frame on a diagonal line. Beautifully sharp, beautifully subtle.

Hello Ana,
I feel sorry for these women and for what they have to suffer because of stupid traditions and the demands of mass tourism. It serves this photo well that the neck rings are just a minor detail of this composition. Far more important are the straight angles of the girl's body and the diagonal of the loom. The bright colours are very attractive and the profile of her face is quite beautiful.
Kind regards,
Gert

Hi Ana,
This is a beautifully composed and also a sharp and colourful picture. She is sitting perfectly at a right angle and the loom is a perfect diagonal. Her "Hello Kitty"jacket is quite eye-catching but I think it disturbs the composition. It was probably not possible for you to move it when you took this photo.
Kind regards
Gunnar

Hello Ana. Yes, the long-necked women are a special attraction. These ethnic minority had always fighting for their existence. Each shows what he can do. Of course, the women are in traditional dress an eye-catching. My compliments for this successful shot.
Rgds, Wolfgang.

Hi Ana,
I have seen this tradition on TV before, and it is fascinating. I often wonder if its painful, or if the women can ever take these off? Having seen them before though, I can safely say, it was never an image as rich or colorful as this. Its brimming wiht culture and tradition, and your composition to have the material exit upper left is genius.

Ola Ana
Wonderfully crisp shot! I like how you composed the image with the yarn coming from the corner of the frame. Light has been well handled!

I feel quite sad seeing the girls with ings around their necks as it is some kind of torture...Pity as well, how these tribes & activities have been transformed to a touristic activity being nothing more than a human zoo.

What a superb portrait of this girl at work. She looks so graceful and poised, almost like a dancer. The colours and sharpness are wonderful and I really like the blurred hand movements, which add to the sense of immediacy and dynamism. Excellent quality photo, as always.

Hi Ana
Love how the multi colors play the greatest part that catch the eyes in particular the neck rings is obviously a feature that has really worked here for the shot drawing my eyes which don't let loose. Vividly cought and posture fills the frame effectively as if inviting us to look deeper.

I feel sorry for her waiting for tourists to provide her the next day pay ckeck, the victim of circumstance! and the glimmer of freedom is far far away as she is kept enslaved to sustain her place in the tourism village.

You're capturing well this scene by a good composition and very excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see the spectacle in which the girl sat down and it has woven textiles. Her clothes is so beautiful and attractive, and it's interesting in the neck ring, too. And, the work tool placed aslant has given impact visually.

These Kayan come from Burma. All the small villages they live in in Thailand are run for tourists. The gate fee goes to the manager so they must sell their produce to live. They mostly fled the Burmese Army. The girls are not forced to wear the rings, but do so to uphold their traditions. The rings are solid brass and very heavy, so it is their weight which depresses the collarbones and ribs, the neck is not actually stretched. I visit several of these villages near my home quite often and enjoy chatting with them since most speak Thai after living here for five years or longer. The kids rarely get to go to a school since they have no Thai ID card and are virtually stateless....(and also virtually prisoners). They are resigned to their lot and not depressed about it.